Andy Whing

Whing was born in Birmingham West Midlands.[5] He grew up supporting Aston Villa and had trials at Birmingham City and Derby County before joining Coventry City at the age of thirteen. While progressing at the club's academy, Whing was released and then re-signed.[6] Whing eventually came through the ranks at Coventry and was appointed captain at the club's academy.[7]

Whing made his first-team debut at Highfield Road in a Division One game against Burnley in February 2003.[8][9] Following a string of first-team appearances,[10] Whing signed his first professional contract, keeping him until 2005.[6][11]

Ahead of the 2003–04 season, Whing changed shirt from 40 to 2.[12] His first goal for Coventry came in a 3–1 home defeat against Nottingham Forest in August 2003.[13] During the season, he made more first-team appearances, rewarded by a four-year contract[14] and praise from manager Eric Black.[15] Whing established himself in the first-team squad during the 2003–04 season, in which he made a total of 31 appearances in all competitions.

However, he made fewer starts the following season after a hernia operation and losing his right-back position to new signing Louis Carey.[16][17] He did, however, provide a moment that will never be forgotten by Coventry fans in scoring the last ever goal for Coventry at Highfield Road in the 6–2 win over Derby County in the 2004–05 season.[18] He was the recipient of the goal of the season award and a special award for the historic goal.[19] His running high-five celebration became the moment that almost all Coventry fans remember him for. This helped the full-back's return to the regular first-team selection during the first season at the Ricoh Arena, in which he played 36 times in all competitions.

The 2005–06 season proved to be the high-water mark of Whing's Coventry career. Some poor performances the following season saw him loaned and then sold to Brighton & Hove Albion, who were managed by his former manager Micky Adams. After being recalled by Coventry in late December, Whing made his first appearance in a 1–1 draw against Southend United,[20] but was rarely selected for the first team and played in the reserves throughout the season.[21][22] At the end of the season, he was among four players to be released by Coventry.[23] After the announcement of his release, Whing was given a farewell lap of honour after the final home match of the season, having made over 100 appearances for the club.[24]

Whing initially joined Brighton & Hove Albion on loan on 8 October 2006, initially for one month.[25] He made his Brighton & Hove Albion debut, as a right-back, in a 3–0 loss against Blackpool.[26] Club and fans alike were impressed by what they saw of Whing and the club extended his spell at the Withdean twice more.[27][28] Despite his wishes to extend his loan deal at Brighton,[29] Whing was recalled by Coventry on 27 December, as the team looked to reinvigorate themselves following a run of three straight defeats. Brighton then tried unsuccessfully to sign Whing on a permanent basis during the January transfer window.[30][31]

Whing eventually joined Brighton permanently during the summer of 2007 after his contract ended at Coventry.[32][33] On signing, Whing said joining the club was an easy decision.[34] His first game after signing for the club on a permanent basis came in the opening game of the season, a 2–1 defeat to Crewe.[35] He was sent off two weeks later after a second bookable offence, in a 2–0 loss against Tranmere Rovers.[36] He remained in the first team throughout the 2007–08 season, making 42 appearances.

Whing retained his starting position at right-back at the start of the 2008–09 season,[37] until he was dropped from the first team for one game in late November following a blunder that resulted a winning goal, in a 1–0 loss against Huddersfield Town.[38] After making his return against Oldham Athletic, Whing hoped his good performance would keep him in the first team.[39] Whing went on to make forty appearances for the club and, after helping them avoid relegation, was overwhelmingly voted Brighton's player of the year for the 2008–09 season, receiving 77% of the vote.[40] With his contract expiring at the end of the 2008–09 season, Whing attracted interest from Walsall[41] and Leeds United,[42] around the same time he was offered a new contract.[43] After his move to Leeds United stalled,[44] Whing signed a new two-year contract with Brighton.[45]

In the first half of the 2009–10 season, Whing remained in the right-back position for the first seven matches until he suffered a dead leg and was substituted, in a 1–0 defeat to Wycombe Wanderers.[46] After being sidelined for two months,[47] he made his return from injury for the club's reserves on 11 November 2009 against Millwall's reserves[48] and returned to the first team four days later, in a 3–1 win over Southampton.[49]

However, under new manager Gus Poyet, Whing found first-team opportunities at Brighton very limited; therefore, on 5 March 2010, he was allowed to join League Two side Chesterfield on loan until the end of the season.[50] He made his Chesterfield debut four days later, coming on as a substitute for Dan Gray in a 1–0 loss against Notts County.[51] Whing went on to make eleven appearances for the club.

On 28 October 2010, Whing signed for Leyton Orient on a two-month loan deal.[52] He made his Leyton Orient debut five days later, on 2 November 2010, in a 3–2 loss against Colchester United.[53]

After impressing Os boss Russell Slade with five appearances, Whing signed for Orient until the end of the season, and his Brighton contract was cancelled by mutual consent.[54] On 12 February 2011, he scored his first goal in several years in Orient's 4–1 victory over Bristol Rovers.[55] Three weeks later on 5 March 2011, he scored his second goal, in a 2–0 win over Notts County.[56] After making 19 appearances and scoring twice, Whing was offered a one-year contract extension.[57]

Instead, Whing signed a two-year deal with Oxford United when his contract with Leyton Orient expired in the summer of 2011. He said of Oxford: "This is a fantastic club with a lovely stadium and it gets great attendances that are worthy of a Championship side and it shows the potential here."[58]

Whing made his Oxford United debut in the opening game of the 2011–12 season, a 1–0 loss against Rotherham United, on 6 August 2011.[59] Apart from a minor illness,[60] he remained in the first team throughout the season. After initial criticism,[61] he won the Supporters Player of the Year Award at the end of the season.[62][63]

In the 2012–13 season Whing retained his number 16 shirt.[64] However, he suffered a groin injury that kept him out of the team for the first part of the season.[65] By early October, he had returned to training[66] and returned to the first team on 15 October 2012, coming on as a substitute in the 82nd minute for Tom Craddock, in a 3–0 loss against Port Vale.[67] He scored his first goal for Oxford in a 2–2 draw at Barnet on 20 November 2012.[68] He subsequently suffered an injury to his knee and ankle during a FA Cup match against Accrington Stanley on 1 December 2012.[69] After making a recovery in early February,[70] he returned to the first team, coming on as a substitute for Adam Chapman in the final minutes of a 3–0 loss against Plymouth Argyle on 16 February 2013.[71] His second Oxford goal was an uncharacteristic scissor-kick against Rochdale that left keeper Josh Lillis stunned.[72] Despite being restricted by injury to 22 appearances, Whing signed a contract with the club keeping him until 2016.[73] At the end of the season, Whing was awarded Goal of the Season for his goal against Rochdale.[74]

At the start of the 2013–14 season, Whing regained his right-back position. In the absence of captain Jake Wright, he was made captain for the match against Cheltenham Town on 14 September 2013, which ended 2–2.[75] After the match, Whing described the award of the captain's armband as a "privilege".[76][77] In the next game, a 1–0 defeat to Chesterfield, Whing was sent off in the 67th minute for a professional foul on Eoin Doyle.[78] After serving a suspension and making his return,[79] Whing suffered an ankle injury during a match against Mansfield Town, which led to his being sidelined until January.[80] An operation further extended his period out of the team,[81] and he remained on the sidelines until 21 March 2014, when he made his return to the starting eleven in a 1–0 win over Hartlepool United.[82] Whing went on to make eighteen appearances for the club in 2013–14.

Shortly after the end of the 2013–14 season, Whing had an operation on his hip, resulting in him missing the start of the 2014–15 season.[83] After playing his first match of the season in the reserve side,[84] Whing made his first appearance of the 2014–15 season, coming on as a substitute for Brian Howard in the 57th minute of a televised 5–1 defeat to Cambridge United on 11 October 2014.[85] He expressed "delight" on making his return,[86] and remained in midfield in the first team,[87] before suffering a hip injury during a reserve match against Southend United.[88][89] He made three more appearances towards the end of the season, in which he made 21 appearances in total.

At the end of the season, Whing announced that he would not be signing a new playing contract with Oxford, although he was in talks over a new role at the club.[90] He had previously hinted about his retirement from professional football, citing his injury, and had already started a UEFA B Licence course.[91] In late November, Whing was appointed jointly with Leon Blackmore-Such as the club's under-18 coach.[92] In September 2017 he left, after six years as a player and coach with the club, to become head coach of the under-23 side at Kidderminster Harriers.[93]

During his time at Oxford United, Whing became something of a cult hero on the Oxford terraces.[94]